icing, vbl. n.
(ˈaɪsɪŋ)
[f. ice v. + -ing1.]
1. The process of encrusting or adorning with crystallizations of sugar; concr. an incrustation of white or coloured sugar applied in various ways to the surface of cakes, pastry, etc. Also fig. in phr. the icing on the cake, the ‘trimmings’.
| 1769 Mrs. Raffald Eng. Housekpr. (1778) 144 Tarts that are iced require a slow oven, or the icing will be brown. 1774 Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry lxi. (1840) III. 396 The splendid iceing of an immense historic plum-cake. 1845 E. Acton Mod. Cookery xvi. (ed. 2) 335 When a whiter icing is preferred, the pastry must be drawn from the oven..and brushed with white of egg..then well covered with sifted sugar. 1969 Listener 3 Apr. 468/3 All this theology is icing on the cake... ‘Pas sérieuse’..is an epithet I would apply to the whole book. 1970 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 26 Sept. 12/1 The missionaries have a dubious legacy, says Father Gallagher. ‘We had been giving them the icing and not the cake, the Christian tools with which they need to meet the circumstances in life they face.’ 1973 R. Perry Nowhere Man v. 100 It was quite a neat ploy, the icing on the cake. |
2. a. The process of cooling by means of ice.
| 1837 M. Donovan Dom. Econ. II. 378 Some kinds of bad port wine are improved by icing. 1864 Sala in Daily Tel. 20 July, Champagne—which, for all its deceptive iceing, is a very heating wine. |
b. Preservation by means of ice; refrigeration with ice.
| 1883 R. F. Walsh Irish Fisheries (Fish. Exhib. Publ.) 17 A rate for fish carrying is then struck; this includes icing. |
3. Naut. and Aeronaut. esp. with up (occas. down). The process of becoming covered with ice; the formation of ice on a vessel or an aircraft.
| 1881 tr. Nordenskiöld's Voy. of ‘Vega’ I. ix. 451 It is such a mist that causes the icing down of the rigging of vessels..the tackling of the Vega was covered with pieces of ice so large, and layers so thick, that accidents might have happened by the falling of the ice on the deck. 1929 R. Duncan Air Navigation & Meteorol. (ed. 3) xii. 124 What goes on during the action known as icing-up, or the accumulating of ice-coats on the plane's surfaces. 1937 Evening News 29 Jan. 8/3 The latest theory connects the very fine rain with one of the most dangerous phenomena in flying: icing-up of the wings. 1945 Tee Emm (Air Ministry) V. 48 Icing-up caused him to lose control of the aircraft. Ibid. 53 Icing may occur, which requires hot air and..reduces available engine power. 1955 Times 12 Aug. 5/1 The Hull Trawler Officers' Guild are meeting soon to discuss the icing up of trawlers, and it is expected that they will make recommendations to the trawler owners. 1957 Economist 21 Sept. 965/1 This warns pilots to fly no higher than 16,000 feet whenever they meet conditions likely to bring on the Britannia's particular form of icing trouble. 1958 ‘N. Shute’ Rainbow & Rose viii. 295 There was no icing on the aircraft. 1966 T. Armstrong et al. Illustr. Gloss. Snow & Ice 27 Icing, the accumulation of a deposit of ice on exposed objects, e.g. aircraft, ships, aerials, instruments. Icing may be produced by the deposition of water vapour or by the freezing on impact of droplets in the air. |
4. icing sugar: finely powered sugar.
| 1889 A. B. Marshall Cookery Bk. iii. 41 Royal Icing.—To two and a half pounds of icing sugar put seven or eight whites of fresh eggs and half a tablespoonful of lemon juice strained. 1896 J. T. Law Grocer's Manual 232/1 Icing sugar is that [sugar] which is ground to a very fine, impalpable powder, resembling flour, and should consist of pure cane sugar; for beet sugar..is not capable of high crystallisation. 1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 42 Sugars... Loaf..Granulated..Icing. c 1938 Fortnum & Mason Price List 58/2 Icing sugar..per tin 1/2. 1970 Simon & Howe Dict. Gastron. 365/1 Icing sugar..is used to make icing..and meringues. 1972 J. Wilson Hide & Seek i. 19 Where's the icing sugar?.. There's only the gran and castor there. |
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▸ Ice Hockey. The (freq. illegal) action of hitting the puck from one's own half of the rink into the area behind the opponent's goal line, where the puck is then collected by an opposing player (excepting the goaltender); the penalty incurred for this. Cf. ice v. Additions a.
In some circumstances icing is legal, typically when one's team is short-handed.
| 1937 Lowell (Mass.) Sun 27 Dec. 10/6 There were also moves to curb the icing of the puck. 1950 F. Hewitt Hello, Canada xi. 80 The puck was retrieved because of the icing and brought back for another facing. 1989 Valley Independent (Monessen, Pa.) 12 Apr. 3 b/3, I knew we were short-handed and that it wouldn't be icing. 1993 Hockey News (Toronto) 5 Feb. 7/2 He also claims the possibility of missing the breakaway pass and being called for icing would deter teams from trying it more. 1998 Chicago Tribune 27 May iv. 5/5 It appeared Washington would be called for icing when Buffalo defenseman Jason Woolley touched the puck near the net, but no call was made. |